Effects of a Long-Term Participatory Action Research Project on Science Teachers’ Professional Development

Abstract

This paper describes the potential of long-term co-operation between science educators and science teachers concerning the teachers' continuous professional development, based on Participatory Action Research in science education. The discussion is based on a sixyear case study observing a group of about ten German chemistry teachers by chemistry educators from the university. Substantial changes in teachers' professional habits and views were found. These findings will be theoretically framed within the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) debate, a model representing three different modes of action research and the Interconnected Model of Teachers' Professional Growth (IMTPG). The following discussion will provide an explanation of the changes in the teachers' professional attitudes and views. This is based on a description of overcoming the participatory approach by addressing essential elements of teacher emancipation. Consequences for classical approaches of in-service teacher training are discussed.

A Model for In-service Teacher Learning in the Context of an Innovation

“…Justi and Van Driel (2006) successfully used the IMPG as a framework to establish the relationships between the different data gathered in characterizing the growth of science teachers' knowledge on model and modeling. Eilks and Markic (2011) could make the knowledge growth comprehensible in a 6-year participatory research project of chemistry teachers and educators by using the framework of the four IMPG domains and the PCK model. Witterholt, Goedhart, Suhre and van Streun (2012) used a number of 'cycles of change' of the IMPG to describe the development of a mathematics teacher when she was challenged to redesign her lessons during network meetings with her colleagues.…”

Investigation of Mathematics Teachers’ Level of Following, Understanding, and Applying Educational Research

“…The Ministry of National Education (MEB) should encourage teachers' attendance to such seminars in which teachers and faculty members will work together as the Ministry can easily access to schools and teachers. Eilks and Markic (2011) suggest that teachers can be encouraged to attend in-service training seminars by providing program information, methods and strategies, and by asking teachers design learning using recent research findings related to teachers and students. Besides, introduction and presentations particularly addressing to issues in a specific field, giving place to activities that which facilitate teacheracademician and teacher-student interactions will encourage teachers to follow such seminars and using information they gain from them in-class applications.…”

Enhancing Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Preservice Science Teachers

“…PCK can be impacted with teacher profession in the future by shaping their concept of instructional design and inquiry-based learning implication for science classroom. As it should be, pedagogical content knowledge will be enhanced, if preservice teachers engage nature of science, scientific contents, national science curriculum, and pedagogy that meet the requirement of national science curriculum standards (Eilks and Markic, 2011). PCK help teachers to incorporate nature of science relevant to teaching-learning actions by various kinds of wisdom and practices in term of transformation of subject matter knowledge that can be used effectively in professional development (Botha and Reddy, 2011).…”